Remote wireless communications may be implemented using radio frequency (RF) technology. Exemplary applications utilizing RF technology include identification applications including, for example, locating, identifying, and tracking of objects. Radio frequency identification device (RFID) systems have been developed to facilitate identification operations. For example, one device may be arranged to output and receive radio frequency communications and one or more remotely located device may be configured to communicate with the one device using radio frequency communications. The remotely located device(s) may be referred to as a tag, while the other device may be referred to as a reader. Some advantages of radio frequency communications of exemplary radio frequency identification device systems include an ability to communicate without contact or line-of-sight, at relatively fast speeds, and with robust communication channels.
Some remote device configurations are arranged to utilize electrical energy from a source resident upon the device itself including, for example, a battery. Some of these remote device configurations may operate in a plurality of different operational modes wherein different amounts of electrical energy are utilized by the device. Wake-up circuits may control a state of operation of the device to assist with conservation of electrical energy. For example, the device may be provided in a low-power mode in the absence of communications and a higher-power mode during processing of incoming signals. Accordingly, electrical energy is consumed at an increased rate during processing of the signals.
Some of the aspects of the present invention described below provide exemplary methods and apparatuses arranged to reduce the consumption of electrical energy of a wireless communication device.